Reflection of The Pearl

Kino and Juana suffer through a paradox, consisting of evil coming from good. Have they learned to live with the paradox, and what have they learned?

Kino and Juana suffering is related to the theory that evil comes out of good.
When Coyotito is stung by the scorpion  evil comes among the family. In the hope of healing the baby they must find money to pay the doctor. Being native, Kino would not be able to acquire a job, so he must do what his people are known to do: find a pearl. Kino Finds an huge pearl, "The pearl of the world", one that could buy himself weapons, pay for a wedding, and send his son to school. But evil is held within the pearl, making the family feel they need to get as much as they can from it.
Recently, a man won a million dollar lottery and was so proud of his earnings he bragged to anyone who would listen. And he was murdered before he could spend it. This relates to "The Pearl" because the pearl throws the family into danger. Though Kino does not outright brag, everyone knows, and he tells them all how he wants to spend it. He gets attacked, people enter their home while he is asleep, and launches his whole family into danger. But Kino is gripped by the evil of the pearl and will not dispose of it or sell it. Jauna trys to get rid of it, stealing it from him to throw away, and the evil of greed causes him to take it back and slap her. This is not something he would normally have done, nor approved of doing, but evil has possessed his heart.
When they run away, they hope that it is selfless enough to save them from the evil. But the pearl hasn't lost its grip. Not until **SPOILER ALERT** Coyotito is killed, does the pearls's grip slacken. The evil has done its work. Only now are Kino and Juana able to let go, and do so by throwing the pearl away.
Kino and Juana have learned what comes out of good fortune, and have let it change them. The greed has weakened them, and the final sorrow of the entire course of events have drained them of what was left of their normal life. The good has brought their life through evil and they understand that. But they have learned. Greed has torn the family apart, and they will not let it happen again. Disposing of the pearl is the first attempt to return the nature of evil, and shows a readiness to forget.

When a character acts selflessly against the prevailing vice(s) of the dominant social order, true virtue exhibits itself.

The family in "The Pearl" exhibit a large amount of selflessness, that effects the events that follow. When discovering the pearl, though some wishes may seem selfish, Kino really wants whats best for the family; a wedding, Coyotito to go to school, and hunting weapons. He keeps his values in mind: family, safety, and fitting in. When they leave their home, it is because Kino realizes he is acting selfishly. The tragic end shows how selfishness springs out of good fortune, greed out of prosperity. Kino and Juana understand what should come first in life, understanding how people can be change, and how to value life and their virtues in future experiences.